Re: Recommended software for breaking into technical writing

[Brian Gilbert <BGilbert -at- RENS -dot- COM>]

I'm on the digest, and I'm not sure what the original post was and have not
seen all of the responses.  I've seen two responses (from Ed and Kathleen),
and I had to come out from my watcher mode to respond to Kathleen Frost's
post (and no, I don't want to start any wars).

<snip>
(( Word is very good because it was designed to work with Windows, not
redesigned to TRY and work with Windows.  Being able to Pint, Click, and
Drag and drop, are real time savers.  As for being a standard, I would say
it was in our area around Atlanta.  I have worked for major companies,
mostly Fortune 500, some Fortune 1000, from Coca-Cola to Delta Airlines.  I
only knew one company that used something besides MS Word.))
<end snip>

As a consultant, I normally work with Word, and it is good to know what it
can do and how and to know what it can't do, why, and the work-arounds.  One
place to start would be in the Techwr-l archives.

<snip>
((I have been in tech writing for 14+ years and never worked anywhere that
used these applications.  I don't know what they might be able to do that MS
Word can't do but I have been producing all kinds of documentation from
technical documents to end user operations in Word without any problems. --
Personal comment = I did work at one place that was getting rid of
Framemaker.  The previous tech writer didn't know exactly how to use it and
did a very poor job on the documents.  Graphics, headers, and footers were
so separated and so deeply buried that they couldn't be corrected and kept
popping up at inopportune times.... That company converted to Word because
it easier to hire people who knew it, easier to revise, and it was what most
of their clients had so they could move documents back and forth easily.>>
<end snip>

Again, with any application, there are problems, especially if you don't
know the app.  I have found Frame easy to use if you know what you're doing
and you use/create a good template.  There are times that Frame is better to
use than Word and times that Word is better.  I have only been a tech writer
for 2+ years, but I have worked on several projects for different companies
that required me to use Framemaker.

Which is better to know?  If you're just breaking into the profession,
probably Word.  In my vast experience <g>, I've found that there are more
companies using Word.  If you can, learn to use more applications.  If you
know a couple of graphics programs like Snagit, Fullshot99, or Paint Shop
Pro, then learning a different one is much easier.

That being said, knowing apps, if you are technically inclined or computer
savvy is not as important as knowing how to write.  I would rather hire/work
with someone who requires a couple of days training on Word and whose
writing is clear, concise, consistent, and organized than someone who knows
Word and cannot write.

Please direct any flames to me and not the list.

Brian Gilbert
Renaissance Worldwide, Inc.

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